Sign



"July 7, 1931. H. w. PENROSE SIGN Filed March 24, 1931 Parental JulyA 7,' 1931 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE maaar w. rENnosE, .or YERINGTON, NEVADA, AssTGNoa or ONE-FOURTH To MAT- 'rnEw n. rENnosE .LND oNEoURTH To CLARK J. GUILD, Born or YEmNea'oN,

NEVADA.

SIGN

Application led Iarch 24, 1931. Serial No. 524,911.

ll time as well as at night when a light is thrown thereon.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sign in which the letters are formed of rod like glass which are inset .10 in the face of the sign and which have light reflecting bodies about the backs thereof so as to make the letters stand out distinctly, particularlyu when a light is thrown onto the sign. .u Another object of theinvention is to provide novel means for retaining letters of lass in the receiving recesses therefor in the face of the sign, whereby anyone of the letters may be removed for replacement when necessary or for any other purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from -a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present invention with -the understanding, however that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows one letter in front elevation 1n a sign constructed in laccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation of the letter shown in Figure 1. g A

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1. p

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing a modified form of means for holding the letter in place.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through a por tion of asign in which the back or base structure is of wood, showing the manner in which the' letter is set therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference in backing 5 of each letter.

dicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l indicates a portion of a sign board constructed in accord* ance with the present invention and formed of sheet metal material. In constructin the signs of sheet metal the metal is presse to form pockets or channels therein such as the U-shaped channel 2,v which is illustrated, to receive the removable portion of the letter. In the illustration of the present invention the letterrU is shown vand the metal body l of the sign has a U-shaped pocket or channel pressed in the face thereof, this channel, as previously stated, being indicated generally by the numeral 2. In this pocket there is placed from the front of the sign the glass letter U, which is indicated by the numeral 3. l Y

As shown in Figure 3 the body of the letter, while it is formed of a rod of glass, is not of circular cross section. The rear portion is of greater diameter than the front portion of the letter, thus forming, where the portions join the shoulders 4. The rear or enlarged portion of theletter is encased by a reflector 5, the longitudinal edges of which are turned inwardly, as'indicated at 6, over the shoulder 4 of the letter body.

After the letter body with the reflector 5 is laced in position in the channel or pocket 2 ormed therefor in the metal `board of the sign, it is held in place by shiftable latches 7 which are secured against the rear face of the sign body 1 by the screws 8. These-latches have reduced or pointed ends 9 which pass through slots l0 formed' in the channel 2 adjacent thereto so that the points 9 may iengage against the shoulders 4 of the letter and thus prevent it from comin out of its channel. After the latches have n moved into letter engaging position the screws 8 may be drawn up tight to prevent them from shifting. f

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that with a sign constructed in accordance with the present invention the letters thereof will stand out distinctly when a light is thrown thereon, because of the reflecting Because of this backing and the manner in which the letter 'fthe sign the lettering will also stand out dis- V-f'tinctly in daylight or when a light is not ythrown thereon.

Inorder however, to enhance the attractiveness of the sign, the face of the sign board 1 about each letter may be outlined with a paint of suitable color, as indicated at 11.

In Figure 4 a modified form of holding means is illustrated, by which the letter is held in position in its socket. In this form the securing latch may be in the form of' a bowed clip 12 which has each end turned inwardly forming a. tongue 13. Intermediate its ends, this clip is provided with an aperture 14 which receives a threaded stud 15 carried by the letter receiving pocket, when the latch is slipped into position. A nut 16 engaging the stud 15 serves to hold the latch against movement.

Figure 5 illustrates a portion of a sign in which the back board is of Wood. The wood body is indicated generally by the numeral 17 and in the face of this there is formed the pocket 18 Whiclhconforms in outline to the letters which it is to receive. The letter itself is of course, formed of glass and is of the same cross sectional design as described in connection with the preferred form so as to form the shoulders 19. The rihoulders, when the letter is in position in the recess 18 lie beneath the face of the sign so that suitable latch members 2O upon the face thereof may be employed for engaging the shoulders to hold the letter in position. In this form the latch may be simply rotated upon a holding screw1 21, in order to bring the proper end in position over the bolt 19, after which the screw may be tightened to prevent the latch from being accidentally moved.

From the foregoing description it Will be readily seen that a sign constructed in accordance with the present invention may have any of its letters removed in the event that they become broken, for replacement, Without disturbing in any manner the other letters or any other part of the sign structure. It Will also be understood that the glass of which the letters are formed may be transparent or colored as desired, and the backing plates or reflectors 5 may be correspondingly colored, or if desired, the backing for the letters may be colored while the glass may be left clear so as togive a color effect to the lettering.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1.` In a sign structure, a sign board, a letter of glass, said sign board having a recess in the face thereof designed to receive, and shaped to conform to the configuration of, the letter, and means for detachably securing theV letter in the recess.

2. In a sign structure` a board, a letter formed of rod like material of a transparent character, said board having a. recess in ter of glass, said sign-board having a recess' in the face thereof designed to receive, and shaped to conform to the configuration of, the letter, and means for detachably securing the letter in the recess, and a backing for said let-ter conforming to the contour of the rear face thereof and positioned thereagainst, and said backing having the face adjacent the letter polished.

4. In a. sign structure, a board, a letter formed of rod like material of a transparent character, said board having a recess in the face thereof designed to receive, and conforming to the contour of, the letter, said letter having shoulders at diametrically opposite points, and latch elements carried by the board and engaging over said shoulders to maintain the letter in position in the recess, and a backing disposed against the rear face of the letter and having connection with said shoulders to maintain it in cross contact with the letter, the face of the backing adiacent the letter .being polished.

5. In a sign, a. sheet metal body, a letter, a pocket pressed in the face of the body to receive said letter, said'pocket being of the same configuration as the letter. and latch members shiftably mounted uponfthe rear face of the bodv and extensible through the wall of the pocket to engage the lletter to Vmaintain it against displacement.

6. In a sign, a sheet metal body, a letter of transparent material, said body having a pocket pressed in the face thereof conforming to the contour of and designed to receive the letter. a reflector backing for said letter, said backing beins.r housed in the pocket, and latch members shiftablr mounted upon the rear face of the bodv and extensible through apertures in the wall of the pocket and engaging the letter to prevent its displacement from the pocket.

7. In a sign, a sheet metal body, a letter of transparent material. said body having a pocket pressed in the face thereof conforming to the contour of and designed to receive the letter. a reector backing for said letter, said backing being housed in the pocket, and latch members shiftably mounted upon the rear face of the body and extensible through apertures in the Wall of the pocket and engaging the letter to `prevent its displacement from the pocket, and shoulders formed at diametrically opposite sides of the letter for engagement by said latch members.

8. In a sign, a back board, a letter formed of glass and having semi-circular front and back portions, said back portion being of greater radius than the front portion, a shoulder being formed at the point of joinder of the portions, a pocket formed in the face of the back board conforming to the contour i' of the letter and designed to receive the same,

the pocket being of a depth to receive the back portion of the letter and the shoulders thereof, a reflector covering of the back portion of the letter and having edges engaged over said shoulder, and latch members carried by the back board and engageable over said shoulders to maintain the letter in position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature.

HERBERT W. PENROSE. 

